--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But it is a characteristic of wisdom not…" description: "\"“But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.”\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristic_but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not_2712826.jpg" --- # But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate… ![“But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristic_but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not_2712826.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristic_but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not_2712826.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristic_but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not_2712826.jpg) > ““But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.”” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wisdom avoids reckless actions, favoring thoughtful restraint instead of desperate measures. **In simple terms:** Wise people act calmly, not recklessly. Key Takeaway Practice restraint before acting. Themes wisdom self‑control decision‑making Mood reflective calm Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal crises - financial decisions - relationship conflicts - career choices Key Concepts philosophy ethical behavior Questions to Reflect On - When have you acted impulsively? - What could have been the outcome of restraint? A Different Perspective Desperate actions sometimes necessary in emergencies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [It is characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-characteristic-of-wisdom-not-to-do-desperate-things/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Desperate men do desperate things when you take hope away. And that's where the Palestinians are today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/desperate-men-do-desperate-things-when-you-take-hope-away-and-that-s/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [“Desperate people do desperate things, and people with nothing left to lose are the most dangerous of them all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/desperate-people-do-desperate-things-and-people-with-nothing-left-to/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [We all make mistakes, Sometimes we do desperate things, What does it prove? NOTHING, And you never do nothing wrong, Then what took you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-hilson/we-all-make-mistakes-sometimes-we-do-desperate-things-what-does-it/) [Keri Hilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-hilson/) > [In tough economic times, desperate people do desperate things, and the abortion rate goes up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/in-tough-economic-times-desperate-people-do-desperate-things-and-the/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [The desperate things seem to require attention, the lovely things seem to elicit celebration. If I had to choose, I would go to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/the-desperate-things-seem-to-require-attention-the-lovely-things-seem/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wherever you may seek solitude, men will ferret you out and compel you to belong to their desperate company of oddfellows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wherever-you-may-seek-solitude-men-will-ferret-you-out-and-compel-you/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [On the contrary, the characteristic element of the present situation is that economic questions have finally and irrevocably invaded the domain of public life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-henderson/on-the-contrary-the-characteristic-element-of-the-present-situation/) [Arthur Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-henderson/) > [But it would be absolutely mistaken to regard a wealth of theoretical knowledge as characteristic proof for the qualities and abilities of a leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/but-it-would-be-absolutely-mistaken-to-regard-a-wealth-of-theoretical/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [“But they will not be, primarily because the most salient characteristic of the victim-prone person is the conviction that he or she is watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cheney/but-they-will-not-be-primarily-because-the-most-salient/) Margaret Cheney > [Pride is tough. You go to high school, and its 'pride,' 'courage;' it's all these types of words that we use to motivate us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-polamalu/pride-is-tough-you-go-to-high-school-and-its-pride-courage-it-s-all/) [Troy Polamalu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-polamalu/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Facebook also has a fundamental characteristic that has proven key to its appeal in country after country—you only see friends there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirkpatrick/facebook-also-has-a-fundamental-characteristic-that-has-proven-key-to/) [David Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirkpatrick/) > [A second characteristic of the process which for me is the good life, is that it involves an increasingly tendency to live fully in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/a-second-characteristic-of-the-process-which-for-me-is-the-good-life/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Characteristic quotes > [A second characteristic of the process which for me is the good life, is that it involves an increasingly tendency to live fully in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/a-second-characteristic-of-the-process-which-for-me-is-the-good-life/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [“Facebook also has a fundamental characteristic that has proven key to its appeal in country after country—you only see friends there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirkpatrick/facebook-also-has-a-fundamental-characteristic-that-has-proven-key-to/) [David Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirkpatrick/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Pride is tough. You go to high school, and its 'pride,' 'courage;' it's all these types of words that we use to motivate us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-polamalu/pride-is-tough-you-go-to-high-school-and-its-pride-courage-it-s-all/) [Troy Polamalu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-polamalu/) > [But it would be absolutely mistaken to regard a wealth of theoretical knowledge as characteristic proof for the qualities and abilities of a leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/but-it-would-be-absolutely-mistaken-to-regard-a-wealth-of-theoretical/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [On the contrary, the characteristic element of the present situation is that economic questions have finally and irrevocably invaded the domain of public life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-henderson/on-the-contrary-the-characteristic-element-of-the-present-situation/) [Arthur Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-henderson/) > [“But they will not be, primarily because the most salient characteristic of the victim-prone person is the conviction that he or she is watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cheney/but-they-will-not-be-primarily-because-the-most-salient/) Margaret Cheney > [One characteristic that I hope I never relinquish is an intense curiosity about the world around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/one-characteristic-that-i-hope-i-never-relinquish-is-an-intense/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [Benevolence is the characteristic element of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/benevolence-is-the-characteristic-element-of-humanity/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Insanity is my dominant characteristic. - Christina McCall”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernhardt/insanity-is-my-dominant-characteristic-christina-mccall/) [William Bernhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernhardt/) > [“Mr. Harrison was certainly different from other people…and that is the essential characteristic of a crank, as everybody knows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/mr-harrison-was-certainly-different-from-other-people-and-that-is-the/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [The ability to make love frivolously is the chief characteristic which distinguishes human beings from the beasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heywood-broun/the-ability-to-make-love-frivolously-is-the-chief-characteristic/) [Heywood Broun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heywood-broun/) > [“D is for depth of processing. Our fundamental characteristic is that we observe and reflect before we act. We process everything more, whether we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/d-is-for-depth-of-processing-our-fundamental-characteristic-is-that/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [I'm a typically lazy person. It is sort of characteristic of actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liev-schreiber/i-m-a-typically-lazy-person-it-is-sort-of-characteristic-of-actors/) [Liev Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liev-schreiber/) > [The most obvious characteristic of science is its application: the fact that, as a consequence of science, one has a power to do things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-most-obvious-characteristic-of-science-is-its-application-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) Browse all 111 Characteristic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not-to-do-desperate-things/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Characteristic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not-to-do-desperate-things/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristic_but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not_2712826.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristic_but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not_2712826.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ee/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristic_but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not_2712826.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But it is a characteristic of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not-to-do-desperate-things/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/but-it-is-a-characteristic-of-wisdom-not-to-do-desperate-things/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```